An Interview with Shelby, founder of Shelby Naturals

I first heard about Shelby Naturals in conversation with my friend Ani, founder of Simply Suzette, a few years ago. Ani’s skin is flawless and she basically glows without a speck of makeup. When I asked about her skincare routine, another friend immediately said, “Shelby Naturals!” Thus sparked my interest in the brand - Shelby’s Instagram page will draw anyone seeking refuge from a busy urban life.

I had the privilege of asking Shelby a few questions about her journey in creating a holistic and natural skincare brand that is refreshingly different from anything I’ve seen on the market. I hope you enjoy her insights as much as I do.

Sasha: First, let’s start at the beginning. Who are you, where did you grow up, and what do you do?

Shelby: I’m a Holistic Nutritionist and the creator behind Shelby Naturals, a skin care line focused on clean, luxury skin care essentials. I grew up in Toronto for a small part of my early childhood, and then my parents decided to move about an hour north of TO to a little town the country, which is where I really found my love for natural living and nature. I am super passionate about health and wellness, all things skin and beauty, vintage objects and clothing, art, design and film photography. Right now, I run Shelby Naturals, and on the side continue to see clients for nutrition, do design and photography for brands, paint (fun fact: I used to be an artist and guess I still am? Haha :) ), run my YouTube channel... as you can see I love to stay creative and busy!

What inspired you to start Shelby Naturals? (you can also read her full story here, and I highly recommend it!)

My struggle with chronic, hormonal acne & rosacea led me to start Shelby Naturals. I tried everything under the sun in efforts to achieve healthy, clear, glowing skin, but was always met with disappointment. I saw so many experts, dermatologists, spend countless dollars on anything that promised a clearer complexion! I also couldn’t find clean yet effective products that I could trust, that were multi-correctional and worked with the skin through all stages of life; addressing acne, aging and all skin types. I noticed my own skin changed so much, going from being oily to combo to dry, and I wanted a product that would work with my skin, whatever it was going through, to balance and nourish it.

What is the process like creating your own skincare line? What is the thought process behind each product?

I am going to start by saying that I am SUCH a perfectionist, which has its definite pro’s and cons, thus I spent years doing intensive research and testing before Shelby Naturals was created. I started with the foundation and studied the skin first. This really helped me to understand what ingredients work best with our body’s (skin’s) natural processes to achieve harmony and a youthful complexion. I then did much research on botanical oils and essential oils to determine what would be best for each product to achieve the results we desire. I studied aromatherapy to help determine specific percentages of each ingredient, and tested, tested, tested on some amazing people of different ages with varying skin concerns. Followed by much market research, packaging research, and so on. Each final product was then tested to determine the shelf life and its efficacy too. It’s a lot of work as you can see but my passion for the skin and creating a product that worked with it carried me through!

Your skincare defies every convention and belief I held about natural skincare. You mention on both your site and YouTube channel that most, if not all, natural skincare brands contain toxic ingredients and fillers. Although your line is completely natural, you are clear to debunk skincare/self care fads like coconut milk, tea tree oil, and turmeric. Personally, I’ve read so much about avoiding essential oils in skincare but something about your Shelby Naturals products challenges everything. What makes your products so special and work for just about every skin type?

A: Such a great question! I think the fact that my products are designed around the skin’s chemistry, using only high quality, pure botanical carrier and essential oils that I saw (when I was doing testing and research) work best with all skin types! Now of course I can’t claim that my products will work well for everyone, as we are all individual and unique, but most who have used Shelby Naturals experienced such a positive transformation with their skin! The skin is our body’s largest organ that has many natural processes, including the fact that it is the largest portion of our immune system and that it contains billions of bacteria (microbiome) whose job is to regulate, balance and protect our skin, thus using the right, specific ingredients is crucial to achieving harmony. Not all oils and essential oils are beneficial for the skin, especially sensitive skin types (which I assume most are), and I realized this personally before starting on my quest to formulate and create clean effective skin care products. Choosing the right ingredients was integral to the final product. And to quickly address essential oils; because they are so potent, the percentage, and of course the botanical that the essential oil was sourced from, is crucial to creating a product that regenerates the skin, rather than irritate it. And lastly, quality is KEY. Sourcing the highest quality ingredients took me years, as I wanted only the best from small suppliers / farms around the world. The quality of the ingredients determine the efficacy of the final product. So so important!

What is your personal favourite product from your line?

Oooh, that’s a hard one! Haha I can’t live without any of my products. I would say my favourite product is our newest Youth Beauty Booster... my skin is seriously glowing and I never break out anymore!

You’re also a holistic nutritionist. How does nutrition play an integrated role in skin care, and what are some of your favourite foods for boosting your skin (and mental!) health?

I believe our body was created as a whole, and to separate the skin without addressing the whole body is just not right and does not make sense to me! Of course I didn’t
always think this way, and my struggles with hormonal acne really helped me to see how everything is so connected. It’s truly amazing! What we think, eat, apply, etc all plays a role to keep our body in homeostasis. Favourite foods that I find really boost my skin and mental health are citrus (love lemon water in the AM and grapefruits!), cucumbers, healthy fat-rich foods like avocados, wild salmon, nuts & seeds, garlic, greens, carrots and honestly a good cup of coffee. There is a lot of controversy with coffee and most believe it to be bad for the skin ( I for one did and did not start drinking coffee until the beginning of this year actually!), but we need to start with QUALITY & BALANCE. I love to have one espresso shot a day with pumpkin seed milk, and I am all around a better person, haha! Coffee can displace water so I just make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Where do you see Shelby Naturals going in the future?

My dream is to see Shelby Naturals grow organically and impact the lives of many! I believe and created SN to be much more than skin care, and my intention and hope is for it to inspire health, balance and happiness. Seeing my amazing customers achieve more confidence through a healthier complexion, and the way they are inspired to live a healthier, more simple lifestyle is really all I could ever ask for! I have some new exciting things in the works that I can’t wait to share with everyone. Super excited for what is to come! :)

Lighting Round

Favourite comfort food?

“Smart Sweets” gummies

Favourite drink?

Peach Kombucha

Favourite book?

Metabolic Typing Diet (changed my life!)

Favourite beauty hack?

Spot treatment with Clear Beauty Booster, greek yogurt & Bentonite Clay

What’s a place on your bucket list that you want to visit?

Hawaii

Best piece of advice you’ve received?

To live within my means, and to trust my gut!

You can find Shelby online here, and make sure you check out her new Youth and Clear beauty boosters.